April 2023 - Grant Resources & Opportunities | |
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NC DEQ Opens its Spring Round of Funding
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) recently opened up its application portals for its spring round of grants. Allowable grant projects include construction of new or improved stormwater or wastewater collection systems, building viable utilities structures, or developing systems to provide safer drinking water to residents.
Division of Water Structure - Approximate Funds Available for Spring 2023 Applications
State Revolving Fund (SRF) – Grants:
- DW and WW / CDBG-I rating systems for construction projects. Determination of Disadvantaged Areas: 1) Affordability of water and/or sewer rates relative to income levels of residents; 2) Median household income; 3) Poverty rates; and 4) Additional factors, such as socio-economic or existing contamination factors. Public and environmental health are to be the benefits.
- CDBG-I – (Federal grants from HUD with conditions) DW & WW grants benefitting non-entitlement communities only (incorporate municipalities under 50,000 in population and counties under 200,000 - low-to-moderate income). Construction projects: Approximately $19M, maximum grant is $3M over 3 years; there years begins at time of SWIA award date. No more than 3 open grants within 3 years.
- LASII – Stormwater Planning Grants available for research or investigative studies; funding is limited. Benefitting Natural Heritage Program Areas and Nature-based solutions add 2 points, each. Approximately ~6.3M available; SWIA will award remaining planning grant funds at its July meeting. Funding limits: $400,000 per applicant per grant cycle and $500,00 per grant per cycle. If 2 or more units of local government work together on the same project.
Applications are due by Monday, May 1 at 5:00 PM. Visit https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-infrastructure
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FEMA/Building Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) 2023 Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program is for capability and capacity-building (C&CB) activities, mitigation projects, or management costs. The projects must be aligned with the applicable hazard mitigation plan and reduce or eliminate risk and damage from future natural disasters.
The application deadline is April 14, 2023. Counties, local governments, townships (acting as sub-applicants with the required FEMA-approved local HMP) submit their sub-applications to the State. Apply via FEMA_Grants_Outcomes_(FEMA_Go). For additional information, visit askcsid@fema.dhs.gov .
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Rural Transformation Grants – The Rural Transformation Fund provides local governments with grants and expert guidance to improve economic vitality and overcome the unique challenges many rural communities face. The fund is open to local governments in the state's Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties, as well as qualified census tracts in Tier 3 counties, you may review a map with eligible areas at NC Commerce - Rural Transformation Grant Fund (arcgis.com) The fund will open for the third round of applications on March 22, 2023. Visit Rural Transformation Grants | NC Commerce . | |
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Golden Leaf Flood Mitigation Program – The State of North Carolina provided funds to the Golden LEAF Foundation to award funds to units of local government for public infrastructure projects for flood mitigation. Up to $250,000 may be awarded per project.
Eligible Projects: Up to $250,000 may be awarded per project.
- Construction of new or improvement of existing publicly owned stormwater infrastructure, including natural drainage infrastructure and flood control equipment.
- Repair of existing stormwater infrastructure damaged or destroyed by flooding, which must include improvements to mitigate against future flooding.
- Engineering expenses related to planning and development of flood mitigation solutions.
Process: Applications will be accepted until all available funds are awarded. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Visit https://www.goldenleaf.org/mitigation/. Questions from potential applicants:
Visit Mitigation Frequently Asked Questions - Golden LEAF Foundation .
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NC Forest Service Urban and Community Financial Assistance Program will have funding opportunities soon. Contact Andrew G. Pleninger, Program Head, to talk about you and your community needs at andy.pleninger@ncar.gov or call (919) 857-4842 (office) or (919) 780-9084 (cell). | |
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The Office of the North Carolina Attorney General has issued an RFP to 501 (c)(3) non-profits and institutions with charitable interest in conservation, preservation, or environmental or natural resources restoration for the Environmental Enhancement Grant Program (EEG Program) environmental enhancements projects for reimbursement in an agreement with Smithfield Foods. Projects are to focus on improving the air, water, and land quality in the Cape Fear, Lumber, Neuse, Tar-Pamlico, and White Oak River Basin area with preference for underserved, including those with environmental justice concerns or overburdened communities. Reimbursement grant awards for projects will range from $50,000 to $500,000 and projects are to be completed within 3-years from the date of the grant award.
A remote interest meeting will be held at 10:00 AM on March 23, 2023; register for the meeting at 2023 Environmental Enhancement Grant Letter of Intent (google.com) . Contact: Sarah G. Zambon, Assistant Attorney General, (910) 716-6600 or EEG@ncdoj.gov . Letters of Intent are due on March 30th and those who submit LOIs are eligible to attend a second remote informational meeting on April 13th at 10:00 AM. Of those whose LOIs are selected, full proposals will be due May 12th. Visit https://ncdoj.gov/protecting-the-environment/eeg/ .
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The 2023 Multimodal Planning Grant Program provides planning funds for bike and walking paths, and transit connections. The grant deadline is April 10th 5:00 PM; notification will be in July. For more information, contact Bryan Lopez balopez@ncdot.gov or call (919) 707-2606. | |
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U.S. Department of Agriculture - Strategic Economic and Community Development: Application Deadline: Open. Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) supports projects that promote and implement strategic community investment plans which use the unique strengths of rural communities to advocate prosperity. USDA Rural Development helps finance these projects by using community assets, identifying resources, convening partners, and leveraging federal, state, local, or private funding. Visit
https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/business-programs/strategic-economic-and-community-development#overview .
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U.S. Department of Agriculture - USDA Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program: Application deadlines to RD State Office – March 31, 2023 and June 30, 2023. USDA Rural Development supports zero-interest loans and grants for current and former eligible Rural Utilities Service borrowers who then use the funds to help local businesses finance projects that create and/or retail jobs or support community facility projects. Stakeholder Announcement – Federal Reserve. Visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/business-programs/rural-economic-development-loan-grant-program#overview . | |
USDA and EDA Economic Development Resource Guide: The U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD) have created a planning resource guide, which features four key focus areas: Planning and Technical Assistance; Infrastructure and Broadband Expansion; Entrepreneurship and Business Assistance; and Workforce Development and Livability. Visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/508F_RD_EDA_JointPlanningResourceGuide.pdf . | |
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The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s National Coastal Resilience Fund will award approximately $140,000,000 in grants in 2023, subject to Congressional appropriations and the availability of funds. A non-federal match is not required but is encouraged to demonstrate broad support for the project in strong partnerships with Federal, state, and local agencies, existing regional partnerships, and communities and/or non-profits. NFWF funds activities designed to advance a project through NFWF’s “project pipeline’ include: 1) Community Capacity Building & Planning; 2) Site Assessment & Preliminary Design; 3) Final Design & Permitting; and 4) Restoration Implementation. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) may contribute up to $15 million in additional funds to support coastal resilience projects through the NCRF that benefit military installations - in the vicinity of a DOD installation or range. DOD funds cannot be used to support projects on military lands (“inside the fence line” of the installation or range).
The pre-proposal due date is Wednesday, April 12, 2023, by 11:59 PM; full proposal invitations are mid to end of May; full proposal webinar June 8, 2023 at 3:00 PM; and full proposal invite-only June 28, 2023 by 11:59 PM. Visit:
https://www.nfwf.org/programs/national-coastal-resilience-fund/national-coastal-resilience-fund-2023-request-proposals
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National Endowment for the Arts – Challenge America
Challenge America offers support primarily to small organizations for projects in all artistic disciplines that extend the reach of the arts to groups/communities with rich and dynamic artistic and cultural contributions to share that are underserved. The program is rooted in principles that include, but are not limited to, our recognition that:
- Some groups/communities and some geographic areas with rich cultural identities have limited grant funding opportunities, and/or have been historically underserved by national arts funding;
- Some small organizations may face barriers to accessing grant funding; and
- Some applicants to the NEA may benefit from enhanced technical assistance resources.
Challenge America seeks to address these potential barriers for organizations seeking funding. The program features an abbreviated application, a standardized $10,000 grant amount, and a robust structure of technical assistance to facilitate entry to NEA funding opportunities. Its deadlines is: April 27, 2023, at 11:59 PM – submit to grants.gov, and submit to the Applicant Portal when it opens; its deadline is May 2-16, 2023, 11:59 PM. This category may be a good entry point for organizations that are new to applying for federal funding. Visit https://www.arts.gov/grants/challenge-america .
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